Oxford Cambridge and RSA
June 2026 – Morning
A Level English Language and Literature (EMC)
H474/03 Reading as a writer, writing as a reader
Time allowed: 2 hours
You must have:
• the OCR 12-page Answer Booklet
• clean copies of the texts
INSTRUCTIONS
• Use black ink.
• Write your answer to each question in the Answer Booklet. The question numbers must be
clearly shown.
• Fill in the boxes on the front of the Answer Booklet.
• Answer one question in Section A and both questions in Section B.
INFORMATION
• The total mark for this paper is 64.
• The marks for each question are shown in brackets [ ].
• This document has 8 pages.
ADVICE
• Read each question carefully before you start your answer.
OCR A Level English Language and Literature (EMC)
Reading as a writer, writing as a reader (H474/03) Question Paper
And Mark Scheme
, 2
BLANK PAGE
© OCR 2025 H474/03 Jun25
, 3
Section A Reading
as a writer
Charlotte Brontë: Jane Eyre
F Scott Fitzgerald: The Great Gatsby Chinua
Achebe: Things Fall Apart Arundhati Roy: The
God of Small Things Ian McEwan: Atonement
Jhumpa Lahiri: The Namesake
Answer Question 1 or Question 2.
Use the text that you have studied in your answer. You
should spend about 1 hour on this section.
1 In what ways does the writer use narrative to help us see things differently?
You should range across the text to explore how features such as character, setting and viewpoint are
used to provide a fresh or original view of events, the function of the unexpected in the novel as a whole,
and the broader generic context. [32]
Or
2 In what ways does the writer use narrative to build up the reader’s expectations?
You should range across the text to explore how features such as character, setting and viewpoint are
used to heighten our expectations in the novel, the function of suspense in the novel as a whole, and the
broader generic context. [32]
© OCR 2025 H474/03 Jun25 Turn over
, 4
Section B Writing
as a reader
Answer Question 3(a) and 3(b) in this section.
You should spend about 40 minutes on Question 3(a) and about 20 minutes on Question 3(b).
3
(a) Choose one of the storylines opposite to develop as the opening of a narrative.
Write your narrative, making your own choices about the story’s starting point and linguistic techniques.
You are writing the opening to a narrative, and can use any one of the bullet points as the beginning of your
story.
You are not expected to write the full story.
You should write approximately 500 words. [18]
(b) Write a commentary on the narrative opening you have produced in 3(a).
Explain the narrative and linguistic choices you have made in response to the storyline prompts. You
should write approximately 250 words. [14]
© OCR 2025 H474/03 Jun25
June 2026 – Morning
A Level English Language and Literature (EMC)
H474/03 Reading as a writer, writing as a reader
Time allowed: 2 hours
You must have:
• the OCR 12-page Answer Booklet
• clean copies of the texts
INSTRUCTIONS
• Use black ink.
• Write your answer to each question in the Answer Booklet. The question numbers must be
clearly shown.
• Fill in the boxes on the front of the Answer Booklet.
• Answer one question in Section A and both questions in Section B.
INFORMATION
• The total mark for this paper is 64.
• The marks for each question are shown in brackets [ ].
• This document has 8 pages.
ADVICE
• Read each question carefully before you start your answer.
OCR A Level English Language and Literature (EMC)
Reading as a writer, writing as a reader (H474/03) Question Paper
And Mark Scheme
, 2
BLANK PAGE
© OCR 2025 H474/03 Jun25
, 3
Section A Reading
as a writer
Charlotte Brontë: Jane Eyre
F Scott Fitzgerald: The Great Gatsby Chinua
Achebe: Things Fall Apart Arundhati Roy: The
God of Small Things Ian McEwan: Atonement
Jhumpa Lahiri: The Namesake
Answer Question 1 or Question 2.
Use the text that you have studied in your answer. You
should spend about 1 hour on this section.
1 In what ways does the writer use narrative to help us see things differently?
You should range across the text to explore how features such as character, setting and viewpoint are
used to provide a fresh or original view of events, the function of the unexpected in the novel as a whole,
and the broader generic context. [32]
Or
2 In what ways does the writer use narrative to build up the reader’s expectations?
You should range across the text to explore how features such as character, setting and viewpoint are
used to heighten our expectations in the novel, the function of suspense in the novel as a whole, and the
broader generic context. [32]
© OCR 2025 H474/03 Jun25 Turn over
, 4
Section B Writing
as a reader
Answer Question 3(a) and 3(b) in this section.
You should spend about 40 minutes on Question 3(a) and about 20 minutes on Question 3(b).
3
(a) Choose one of the storylines opposite to develop as the opening of a narrative.
Write your narrative, making your own choices about the story’s starting point and linguistic techniques.
You are writing the opening to a narrative, and can use any one of the bullet points as the beginning of your
story.
You are not expected to write the full story.
You should write approximately 500 words. [18]
(b) Write a commentary on the narrative opening you have produced in 3(a).
Explain the narrative and linguistic choices you have made in response to the storyline prompts. You
should write approximately 250 words. [14]
© OCR 2025 H474/03 Jun25
